Building a sustainable future through partnerships for our cities
Join us in the German Pavillon at the WUF12 in Cairo on November 6th, 4-4.45pm to discover how the city of Stuttgart is advancing sustainable urban development through global and local partnerships. Stuttgart will showcase how collaboration between cities, universities, and social actors not only drives SDG 17 but also strengthens social cohesion and urban sustainability. From international city partnerships to innovative educational programs like the Master program “Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design”, learn how Stuttgart harnesses the power of partnerships to shape the future of sustainable cities.
Get inspired and see how working together can make cities around the world more livable and equitable. Join us and help shape the future through collaboration!
Deputy Mayor Dr. Alexandra Sußmann
Deputy Mayor Dr. Alexandra Sußmann, Mayor for Social Affairs, Community Integration and Health in the State Capital Stuttgart
Deputy Mayor Dr. Alexandra Sußmann has been serving as the Mayor for Social Affairs, Community Integration and Health in the State Capital Stuttgart, Germany since August 15, 2019. In this role, she is dedicated to fostering social cohesion, promoting inclusion, and supporting vulnerable groups within the community. Her priorities include improving access to social services, enhancing integration programs for immigrants, and addressing public health challenges. Prior to her current position, she was the Chief of Staff at the State Chancellery of Baden-Württemberg from January 2018 to August 2019. She also served as Deputy President of the Stuttgart Regional Council from July 2016 to January 2018. From December 2014 to July 2016, she worked as an advisor on immigration and asylum law at the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg. Her judicial experience includes serving as a judge at the Stuttgart Administrative Court and the Stuttgart Social Court. As Deputy Mayor, she is committed to enhancing social integration and promoting the well-being of all Stuttgart residents.
Franziska Laue
Franziska Laue, Project Coordinator within the Social Cities Programme at the Municipal Planning and Housing Authority in Stuttgart
Franziska Laue holds a Diploma in Architecture from Berlin and an M.Sc. in IUSD Double Degree from Stuttgart and Cairo. Her expertise lies in urban heritage conservation, post-conflict recovery, climate change resilience in arid regions, and informal urban development. Since 2004, she has worked on consultancies and project coordination in the MENA region (Syria, Egypt, Jordan). Notably, from 2007 to 2011, she was a management assistant and project advisor for GIZ’s Urban Development Programme in Aleppo. In 2013, she consulted on climate adaptation in Greater Cairo for GIZ’s Participatory Development Programme. From 2013 to 2019, she coordinated courses at the International Urbanism Institute at the University of Stuttgart. Currently, she is a project coordinator within the Social Cities Programme at the Municipal Planning and Housing Authority in Stuttgart. A member of several urban development associations, she is also a PhD candidate focusing on socio-spatial aspects of climate change adaptation in urban neighborhoods.
Prof. Dr. Astrid Ley
Prof. Dr. Astrid Ley, Professor for International Urbanism and course director of the MSc Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD)
Astrid Ley is professor for International Urbanism and course director of the MSc Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) – a study program that is also offered as a Double-Degree program and characterized by a strong and long-standing cooperation between University of Stuttgart and Ain Shams University in Cairo. Prior to her position in Stuttgart she was urban development research analyst at the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) and senior urban researcher and lecturer at TU Berlin. Her expertise and publication record include topics related to urbanization processes, related housing processes and the role of local governance as well as the localization of Sustainable Development Goals.
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Salheen
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Salheen, Professor of Integrated Planning & Design and the Co-founder and Director of the program and laboratory of Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) at Ain Shams University.
Dr. Mohamed Salheen is a Professor of Integrated Planning & Design and the Co-founder and Director of the program and laboratory of Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) at Ain Shams University.
Salheen supervised the masters/PhD research of around 150 students from over 30 nationalities and from multidisciplinary backgrounds. This formed very strong research platform and strong international network of researchers focused on all facets of sustainability.
He served as advisor to the minister of scientific research on Integrated Development and then with the minister of higher Education and scientific research for strategic planning and international Cooperation. He was also appointed as advisor to the minister of Housing for Development of informal areas supporting National Strategy and Action Plans. He has been supporting the ministry of Finance since 2009 leading the mission on Computer-Aided Mass Appraisal (CAMA) of Egyptian Real estate.
Salheen is very active in practice and consultation. He started practicing upon graduation in 1993 and later founded the Integrated Development Group (IDG), which is well established joint-stock company, offering services in Strategy and Comprehensive Engineering consultancy. IDG has long and extensive track record in the fields of residential, Health and Educational Facilities and mixed-use complexes.
IDG, along with its international partners, offers high level Research and Design consultancy for various international Agencies such as the EACEA (European Commission), German Ministry of Environment, GIZ, UN-Habitat, UNEP and UNDP.